Water changes
- Thread starter jimlssc24
- Start date
cincyreefer
Active Member
For those of you doing really small water changes... Are you actually changing that small amounts of water or are you thinking that adding water due to evaporation is a water change? Otherwise why are you doing such small changes?
I do about 15% on every one of my tanks every other week.
I do about 15% on every one of my tanks every other week.
cincyreefer
Active Member
I see, does it seem to work pretty well? I have always been an advocate of doing small water changes more often than a few large ones sporatically, but just thought that 5 gallons doesn't make much of a dent in that much bulk water.
cincyreefer
Active Member
Yes bio load definitely makes a difference 
Just curious tcduongxx, what phosphate/ nitrate removal do you use?
Just curious tcduongxx, what phosphate/ nitrate removal do you use?
beaslbob
Well-Known Member
Originally posted by cincyreefer
For those of you doing really small water changes... Are you actually changing that small amounts of water or are you thinking that adding water due to evaporation is a water change? Otherwise why are you doing such small changes?
I do about 15% on every one of my tanks every other week.
I just water that evaporates in both fresh and salt
steven the fish
Member
The guy at my LFS said that you should not have to change you're water if you have a healthy tank, what he said was to just add water lost due to evap, is this true?
reefnut
Active Member
I figured you were. Anyway, personally I don't dose essential elements... I use the water changes instead. Also, you are starting into sps corals and I'm sure you've read about chemical warfare between sps & softies. This is another reason for me to do regular water changes. There are ways to minimize water changes IMO but there are also ways to use water changes as a good maintenance tool.
nm reef
Active Member
Normally I do a 5 gal water change on my 55 reef and my 58 fish only at least once a month. Recently I've been doing the same volume changes every 2 weeks...just to change the regular routine a bit.
My feelings on regular water changes of 5%-10% are basically to remove old water and replace it with fresh. I also belive that small water changes can help to stabalise trace elements found in saltwater mixs but are not tested for on a regular basis...in my reef I keep close to 50 corals and there is little doubt that together they can deplete trace elements and I'm confident that water changes with a decent salt mix will replenish lost trace elements...without resorting to assorted additives. Another reason for my belief in water changes is I can find absolutely no indication that small volume water changes can be "bad" for a marine system...none...not one that I'm aware of. On top of all that it simply makes good common sense to do all possible to provide as stable a water chemistry as possible...and I'm confident that water changes are a positive procedure.
I also tend to believe that maintaining a stable water chemistry can be an effective tool in maintaining control over unwanted algaes and bacterias in a reef...during routine water changes nutrients that algaes need to thrive as well as spores of algaes are removed...which in combination with other controls can help us minimise unwated algaes...when ever I remove water for a water change is also when I prune or manually remove bits of hair algae/bryopsis/valonia...and I'm confident that regular water changes are a valuable asset in maintaing control over pest algaes.
Bottom line is I can think of several positive reasons for maintaining a system of small percentage regular water changes...at the same time I see very little negative about doing them...in my mind that provides me another effective tool to use.Personally I intend to utilize all tools/methods available to me in my attempts to maintain a healthy/stable/balanced/mature reef system...and water changes are part of that process.
nmreef@cox.net
My feelings on regular water changes of 5%-10% are basically to remove old water and replace it with fresh. I also belive that small water changes can help to stabalise trace elements found in saltwater mixs but are not tested for on a regular basis...in my reef I keep close to 50 corals and there is little doubt that together they can deplete trace elements and I'm confident that water changes with a decent salt mix will replenish lost trace elements...without resorting to assorted additives. Another reason for my belief in water changes is I can find absolutely no indication that small volume water changes can be "bad" for a marine system...none...not one that I'm aware of. On top of all that it simply makes good common sense to do all possible to provide as stable a water chemistry as possible...and I'm confident that water changes are a positive procedure.
I also tend to believe that maintaining a stable water chemistry can be an effective tool in maintaining control over unwanted algaes and bacterias in a reef...during routine water changes nutrients that algaes need to thrive as well as spores of algaes are removed...which in combination with other controls can help us minimise unwated algaes...when ever I remove water for a water change is also when I prune or manually remove bits of hair algae/bryopsis/valonia...and I'm confident that regular water changes are a valuable asset in maintaing control over pest algaes.
Bottom line is I can think of several positive reasons for maintaining a system of small percentage regular water changes...at the same time I see very little negative about doing them...in my mind that provides me another effective tool to use.Personally I intend to utilize all tools/methods available to me in my attempts to maintain a healthy/stable/balanced/mature reef system...and water changes are part of that process.
nmreef@cox.net
burnnspy
Active Member
It still depends on the reef itself, I do not do water changes because I dont need to. Stable water conditions depend on the balance between nutrient input and nutrient consumption.
I am probably in the extreme minority, but I have no fish in my reef tank. So, I do not add fish food(nutrient input) to the tank. The corals I have demand very little in the way of nutrients that is not supplied in the Marinesnow and Aragamilk I feed the tank. Since I dont use a skimmer I do not remove the naturally occuring microfauna and microorganisms that are being generated within the Live rock of the reef.
I have a very diverse reef tank with organisms growing that I havent seen in any other tank. For Instance, the back of the reef rocks that is always shaded, It is being covered in a transluscent white sponge. I have read in more then one ocassion that sponges will not usually survive in a tank because of a lack of microorganisms it needs to feed itself, yet it grows rampant in my tank.
Water changes are a tradition, but I dont believe it mandatory for all tanks.
I am probably in the extreme minority, but I have no fish in my reef tank. So, I do not add fish food(nutrient input) to the tank. The corals I have demand very little in the way of nutrients that is not supplied in the Marinesnow and Aragamilk I feed the tank. Since I dont use a skimmer I do not remove the naturally occuring microfauna and microorganisms that are being generated within the Live rock of the reef.
I have a very diverse reef tank with organisms growing that I havent seen in any other tank. For Instance, the back of the reef rocks that is always shaded, It is being covered in a transluscent white sponge. I have read in more then one ocassion that sponges will not usually survive in a tank because of a lack of microorganisms it needs to feed itself, yet it grows rampant in my tank.
Water changes are a tradition, but I dont believe it mandatory for all tanks.